Oded Tzur - My Prophet (ECM)

Saxophonist Oded Tzur has gone from strength to strength ever since he moved from studying Indian classical music in Rotterdam to playing jazz in New York. His fifth album My Prophet further consolidates his distinctive sound: microtonal modalities, undulating rhythms that somehow swing, near-telepathic interplay with his stalwart quartet, and a tone as smooth as David Sanborn’s, yet as searching as Pharaoh Sanders’. Tzur’s compositions avoid the blues-based standards of jazz tradition without ignoring them, concentrating instead on an enigmatic atmosphere and unusual tonalities that draw as much from his Indian classical training as from jazz. The insistent “Child You” sets the scene here: drummer Cyrano Almeida and bassist Petros Klampanis follow a winding rhythm like a snake follows a charmer, while MVP pianist Nitai Hershkovits and the boss adorn it with swirling countermelodies and a unique soul. “Renata” follows suit, utilizing the musicians’ singular skills to weave a quirky but impossibly beautiful tapestry. “Last Bike Ride in Paris” shucks off the leash for some unhinged expression, while the title track brings in a heart-on-sleeve emotion that gives the arrangement a passion that seems like it nearly overwhelms its creators. Gorgeous, inviting, yet ever so slightly strange, My Prophet takes Tzur’s extraordinary vision to the next level.